No Matter What
by bellybilbil
Summary: Caroline will undoubtedly sacrifice herself for any of her loved ones. That very same fact led her to the hospital bed, unmoving and unresponsive, and Klaus in despair. Chances are bleak but Klaus is holding on. The question is, will she? Klaroline. AU and all human.


No Matter What

Pairings and Characters: Caroline/Klaus, Elena/Damon, Rebekah/Stefan, Bonnie/Kol, Elijah, Matt

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Author's Notes: All human and AU. Both are necessary for this story to work :) Also, thank you to all those who took the time to read and review my previous one shots :D

o-o-o-o-o

"Klaus…" Rebekah Mikaelson-Salvatore blinked against the tears, fighting hard against the sobs that she so badly wanted to release. "Nik, you have to be strong. She needs you."

Klaus Mikaelson remained slumped against the wall, curled into a ball by a row of chairs. His handsome face was twisted in a mixture of grief, agony and regret as tears easily swam down his cheeks. His sister remained kneeling in front of him, a reassuring and comforting hand on his shoulder. Her husband, Stefan, stood behind her, ready to comfort her if – no, when – her own emotions took their toll. Kol was seated by Klaus's side; the younger Mikaelson male silent as he rarely could be, and beside him stood Elijah, just as silent though worry made his brows crease.

"Why her…" He managed to croak out, staring helplessly at his family and friends. "Why her?"

Any reply they meant to make was cut off as a distinctly tortured like sob reached all their ears. Elena remained cradled in Damon's arms as she wept bitterly and loudly. The dark haired Salvatore had already lifted her out of her seat and settled her on his lap in hopes, whispering words of comfort and reassurance in hopes of helping her calm down but to no avail. Bonnie Bennett-Mikaelson and Matt Donovan occupied the seats on either side of Damon, trying to offer whatever comfort they could. Bonnie had a hand rubbing the doe eyed woman's back comfortingly as the other covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her own cries. The two exchanged a helpless look above Elena's head as she stayed a wrecked mess in Damon's arms.

Rebekah smiled sadly; a single tear falling from her eyes. "You know that she'll sacrifice herself for any of us."

o-o-o-o-o

Caroline Forbes laid unconscious in the hospital bed; the angelic, peaceful look on her face betraying what led her there. She appeared to be sleeping but they all knew she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, according to what Meredith Fell had told them. In the midst of her efforts to keep Elena from getting hit by an over speeding car, Caroline was the one hit; the impact throwing her several meters away from where she was. Severe head trauma and swelling had caused her to be the way she was on the bed, unmoving and unresponsive.

Klaus drew the chair closer to her bed before he took a seat, taking her lifeless arm gingerly in his as he took in all the machines connected to her body. Cuts and bruises marred her flawless face and limbs and he hated the thought of how much pain she felt. He hated himself for not being there to save her. He wasn't even anywhere near the area when the accident occurred. Tears fell once more and he didn't even bother to wipe them off. He was alone in the room with her; Elijah asserting firmly to everyone else that his brother should get to see Caroline first… alone.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline…" His voice cracked with so much despair. "I'm so sorry. Please wake up. I need you."

Then, the most heart breaking sob escaped his lips as he cried for the one woman he would ever love.

o-o-o-o-o

"Klaus…" Bonnie spoke softly as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as soon as he woke up. "You should go home and rest. Some of us can watch over her for the meantime."

"She might wake up." He shook his head. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

Bonnie exchanged a look with Kol; the two not having the heart to remind him that she may never wake up.

o-o-o-o-o

"I know being at Carol Lockwood's beck and call for those charity events could be tiring…" Klaus began softly, carefully bringing up her limp hand to his cheek. "But don't you think you're sleeping too much already, sweetheart?"

It was the fifth night in the hospital. Liz had been escorted home by Matt just a few minutes ago. Klaus had stayed, firmly informing everyone that he was to stay in the hospital until she opened her eyes once more. That prompted everyone else to come up with some sort of shifting duty to watch over Caroline and even Klaus. He didn't think it was necessary but he humoured them enough. He knew they cared.

His eyes drifted to the row of seats at the back of the room that served as the temporary and uncomfortable beds of Rebekah, Kol and Elijah. "It's their turn to watch over us tonight… Don't you think it's funny, love? I tried telling them you won't appreciate people hovering you but they just won't have it. They're worried about you… We all are."

Pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand, he let out a shaky breath. "I love you sweetheart. Hold on to that. Come back to me."

o-o-o-o-o

"Love, did you hear what the doctor said?" With so much hope on his face, Klaus spoke to Caroline, not caring that everyone in the room could hear everything. "You're condition is stable already. All you need to do is open your eyes! Did you hear that? You're stable already! What are you waiting for, sweetheart?"

Rebekah blinked back the tears as she, Elijah, Kol and Stefan watched him shake Caroline's arm as if he was trying to wake her up. "Nik…"

"Caroline…" He whispered so brokenly, carefully pulling away from her. "Why won't you wake up?"

He was out of his seat and out of the door before anyone had the chance to stop him; Elijah soon running out the room with Kol hot on his heels. He knew he had promised that he'd never leave her side but he just couldn't take it anymore. Rebekah burst out in tears for her brother and his wife, collapsing in a weeping mess in Stefan's arms.

It hurt too much.

o-o-o-o-o

"Hey, blondie!" Stefan and Klaus froze mid-step on their way back to Caroline's room. It had been nearly a month since the accident and Stefan had managed to get Klaus to leave her side for five minutes to go for a short walk and grab a cup of coffee. Neither of them expected anyone to arrive in the room before they could.

"I thought you hated hospitals, Barbie?" The voice inside the room went on to speak. "Open your eyes and let's get out of here!"

Identical looks of shock crossed both their faces before they made a beeline the door; Klaus suddenly stopping Stefan before he could reach for the doorknob. Through the glass pane of the door they saw Damon standing by Caroline's bed. The cat and dog relationship that Damon and Caroline had was never a secret to anyone. They pissed off and irritated each other day in and day out and so this sight was nothing less than rare.

"Think of Klaus, blondie. Think of Klaus." Damon lowered his head, a lone tear leaking from his piercing blue eyes. "He loves you so much. And Stef, too. He's not the same without his best friend"

Stefan swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in his throat; he and Klaus stepping away from the door. They sat on the chairs by the way and continued to listen. At first they thought Damon would say nothing more but he did speak again and his words made Klaus stiffen a fraction in his chair.

"I… Uh… Thanks, Barbie." Damon tried to stifle his sniffing. "You're like this 'cause you saved Elena and for all the pain I know you went through, I'm sorry."

Klaus smiled bitterly.

"Just wake up, okay? I promise I won't piss you off that much… I'll _try_."

Both Stefan and Klaus snorted.

o-o-o-o-o

It was only a month and a half after everything had taken place did Tyler Lockwood find the guts to visit his best friend. He was the one who took it the hardest, not wanting a comatose Caroline to tarnish his lively and bright image of her. With Matt and Jeremy Gilbert standing close behind him, he cautiously stepped inside the room. Klaus had relented his seat as Tyler sat down, sucking in a sharp breath as he took in the sight of his best friend.

"I didn't want to see you like this." He whispered. "But Stefan reminded me that I was your best friend and I shouldn't be leaving you behind."

Jeremy placed his hands on his shoulders in support while Matt had stood beside his best friend by the foot of the bed. The three men watched as Tyler finally shed the tears that he once refused to in denial of what had happened to Tyler. He cried openly, partly in hopes that she would somehow hear him; that his pleas would add up to the many others of his friends and wake her up

"But damn it, Care. You shouldn't leave me behind too, understand?"

o-o-o-o-o

Sooyoung had been in the hospital for the past fifty four days and still nothing changed. It wasn't completely nothing though as her scars and bruises healed slowly but it was not enough for everyone waiting for her. Klaus had fought hard to have enough strength for himself and for Caroline but as more days passed all of them by, he faltered little by little. Still, he pushed on day after day, wanting nothing more than for her be awake and healthy and with him.

"Brother, you need to eat." Elijah reminded him, glancing at the untouched food on the bedside table. "You need to keep your strength up."

"I'm not hungry, Elijah."

Stefan sighed helplessly. "She's not going to like it if she finds out you're not eating."

Klaus remained unfazed. "She's not here."

"Listen to me and listen to me well, brother." Kol finally got up from his chair and marched towards where his older brother was, lifting him up by the collar of his shirt before pointing to Caroline. Klaus's nostrils flared angrily yet he said nothing; his eyes narrowing dangerously. "She's _here_. She might not be awake but she's right there, you idiot. She could've died but she's still breathing. She's fighting, brother. So you don't have a right to give up when she's still fighting for her life."

o-o-o-o-o

Klaus felt himself slowly stirring awake at the soft melody that reached his ears. He remained where he was; his eyes closed as he listened to the soft feminine voice singing. It surely wasn't Caroline's but it was a voice that he could place quite well. Elena had volunteered to stay behind with him that day, taking up the chair on the other side. He had thought that she had fallen asleep way before he did but obviously he thought wrong. He stayed silent, doing his best to act like he was still sleeping.

_I'll be on your side forevermore. That's what friends are for._

He knew by the often times she paused to sniff that she was crying. He knew she felt guilty for what had happened to Caroline and Klaus fought against his protectiveness of the girl he loved to avoid blaming the brunette. As much as he hoped, wished and prayed that none of this happened to Caroline, he couldn't bring himself to think of what could have happened if Elena was the one that fell. He wouldn't wish the kind of agony he felt on Damon or on anyone else.

So as Elena's breathing became more erratic and her voice cracked as she sang, Klaus allowed himself to cry once more.

o-o-o-o-o

Klaus had grown accustomed to the chair now. 'He became one with it,' as Damon would jokingly say. He no longer woke up feeling every inch of his body screaming in pain. He would often wake up the way he would as if he was home in his bed and not on a steel chair. So he knew that it wasn't why he was suddenly jolted from his sleep. He felt a hand lightly shaking his arm, trying to get him wake up. He lifted his head slightly from where he rested it on his arm and searched for Elena.

She wasn't there.

A gasp escaped his lips; Klaus now more awake than ever. Daring himself to finally look at the bed, his eyes went wide as a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes met his gaze. He blinked over and over, making sure he wasn't seeing things because heaven knows he wouldn't able to take it if he were.

"Hi." Caroline smiled groggily. "I missed you."


End file.
